Gareth Bale and his wife Emma Rhys-Jones indulged in some blissful beach time with their three eldest children.
Despite previously considering a move to China, where he would have left his family behind. The former Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid star ultimately chose to retire in January 2023 at the age of 33.
In a cheerful mood, the 34-year-old Welsh footballer enjoyed a day out with Emma and their children, Alba, Nava, and Axel.
Gareth took to Instagram to share an adorable photo of himself and Emma, with him wearing a grey T-shirt that highlighted his well-built physique, while Emma comfortably rested against his chest on a sofa, wearing a white short-gown.
In another image, the 34-year-old former Real Madrid player opted for a white T-shirt and complemented his outfit with grey trousers, while striking a pose with Emma.
The retired Welsh international announced his retirement from professional soccer in January, after leading his team at the 2022 World Cup.
Since then, Bale has been occupied with playing golf and tennis.
The Welsh football icon even shared a video of himself displaying his tennis skills, along with his family photos, on his Instagram account.
Meanwhile, Emma was captured in a different picture, having a delightful time at the beach with her two daughters, Alba and Nava.
Gareth Bale and Emma’s Relationship
In July 2016, the footballer surprised his fans by announcing his engagement on social media, while enjoying a vacation before the start of the new La Liga season with Madrid.
In a heartfelt social media post, Bale shared a photo of himself and his partner, expressing his joy and excitement.
He revealed that she said yes to his proposal, Bale wrote: ”She said yes!! This is a birthday weekend I won’t forget for a long time. Celebrated with all our closest family and friends.”
Both Gareth and Emma hail from Cardiff and first crossed paths during their time at Whitchurch High School in the Welsh capital. After being together for almost two decades, they officially tied the knot in 2019.
Bale and Emma share a beautiful family, with four children from their marriage. Their names and ages are as follows: Alba Bale, aged 10, Nava Bale, aged 6, Axel Bale, aged 4, and Xander Bale, aged 1.
Bale’s club career
Bale started his professional career at Southampton, playing as a left-back, but later joined Tottenham in 2007.
Under the guidance of Harry Redknapp during the 2009-2010 season, Bale became a vital player for the team and transitioned into a winger.
He achieved various individual accolades, including two PFA Players’ Player of the Year awards and three PFA Team of the Year selections. In September 2013, Real Madrid signed Bale for a then-world-record transfer fee of £85.1 million (€100.8 million).
As part of the famous trio known as BBC, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, Bale contributed to the club’s success in winning the Copa del Rey and the Champions League, scoring in both final matches.
Despite facing a decline in playing time due to frequent injuries starting in 2015, Bale managed to achieve significant milestones in his career.
He emerged as one of the top three contenders for the 2015-16 UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award, showcased his brilliance by scoring an impressive overhead kick in Real Madrid’s victorious 2018 UEFA Champions League Final, and received the FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball in 2018.
Following his loan return to Tottenham in the 2020-21 season, he concluded his final year with Real Madrid.
Throughout his remarkable nine-year tenure, Bale amassed an impressive total of 15 trophies, which includes three La Liga titles and five Champions Leagues.
Subsequently, he joined the MLS club Los Angeles FC in July 2022 and ultimately retired at the age of 33 in January 2023.
His International career
Bale debuted for the Wales national team in May 2006, making him the youngest player to represent the nation at that time.
Throughout his career, he achieved 111 caps and scored 41 international goals, making him Wales’ most capped player and leading goal scorer ever.
During the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifiers, he emerged as Wales’ top scorer with seven goals and later represented the team in the tournament’s semi-finals, where he scored three goals.
He continued to play for Wales in Euro 2020 and played a crucial role in their qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, ending a 64-year absence from the World Cup for Wales.
He holds the record for being named Welsh Footballer of the Year six times.
